Wrestling Camp--A Week of Learning & Laundry

 What doesn't kill you makes you stronger, right? 

Well--Center Circle was one of those things.  It was so fun to be a part of helping camp come together this year.  The registration process had a hiccup--so I helped starting in April to enter some of the registrations that weren't showing up anywhere but in the email.  I was so excited for the girls to have a chance to wrestle.  I was (despite lots of nervous nightmares leading up to it) to run the camp store. 

Then--I saw the weather report and the schedule.  Yikes!  It was over 90 every day.  And we were in a no AC school.  And the schedule had campers (and thus me) going from 6:30 am to 11:15 pm.  Oh baby.  This mama goes to bed at 8:30 when she can.  How was she going to make it? And in the heat? And I didn't even have to wrestle!

Well, the first day there were some major meltdowns.  Sarah's was the biggest.  She offered me any amount of money to just go home.  That first practice session was brutal--so I got it.  But I gave her a pep talk about how even if she didn't think she'd be a wrestler for long, she was learning how to do hard things.  And if she could do hard things--she'd be ready for anything.  And she bucked up and did it.  I was so proud of her! She kept going all week.  

Libby had some time off the mat as well when things got too tough.  But she wrestled tough mostly (except when going against Findley?? which I still don't quite get).  She also lost my airpods (maybe they were stolen?) which led to a pretty significant melt down.  

Ben had a good time playing switch and listening to/reading Harry Potter and helping in the store.  He did get a cold which kept him in his room for a day.

Derek was an all around helper--driving a camper 1/2 way home when he was sent home early, helping with the store, managing the other SW wrestlers who were struggling (mostly the boys were struggling with real and imagined injuries.)  

I had a couple of helpers in the store (one of the other coach's daughter and friend).  They were great.  It was going to be their job to do the laundry.  Haha.  It turned out that the industrial washer at the school was broken (and we never could have managed all the laundry that way either).  So--we (mostly Clark was my laundry assistant) ended up loading up I'd say at least a hundred loads over a couple of days--into my van so I could take them to the local laundromat.   At one point I was using every dryer in the place.  It was stinky, hot work.  But it was pretty satisfying.  We lost some money on laundry.  But hopefully we prevented some cases of skin funk. 

Overall in the store--we turned a tidy profit.  Skittles (and any other candy) and Otter Pops were our best sellers.  Along with Gatorade protein bars (I never did taste one, but they must be good.)  We sold lots of Gatorade (although we were competing with the vending machines on this one--so the sales got better once the vending machines ran out.)  

Here's some of what I learned, so I can remember for next year for the store: Buy more candy at Business Costco (when we replenished our supply from local stores we made a lot less).  We need a freezer nearby for the Otter pops.  Get Gatorade with sugar--not just the zero.  Kids need the energy.  Get more laundry bags.  Start laundry earlier. Establish laundry cut off times daily. Encourage kids to shower naked as the wet undies from the showers was gross.  Maybe set up some drying racks for kids towels after showers so they get less stinky? 

For the schedule: Cut things down so we can end earlier!  Set a more firm relationship between counselors and campers.  Have a firm lights out time enforced by counselors.  No playing with magnets that might interact with the fire alarm.  Please.  

Other notes to self: Do a better job of covering the motion sensor lights at night. Maybe don't sleep in the room where girls have to walk through to go to the bathroom.  But it was relatively cool.  Take more pictures! Give yourself a few recovery days before you do anything else (like drive to UT). 

I'm looking forward to next year.  I'll have less anxiety now that I know what I'm getting into.  And--we made part of the profits for our efforts.  That was a nice bonus that I didn't even know was coming until right before camp.  :)

Sarah showing off her bruises.  They looked worse the day before.  Really. I can't say enough how proud I am of her perseverance. 

Libby and Ellie

Derek and Clark observing. 

The SW girls had a great time. 

We took Derek's cousin's son Aidan with us to camp.  He had a great time for the most part.  

Sarah working with Abbey. 

Sarah wrestling.  I didn't get a pic of Libby wrestling because I was the time keeper for the matches that I got to watch.